Tips for Using Adobe Reader: Searching - Best of Sherlock

Tips for Using Adobe Reader: Searching

by Randall Stock, January 30, 2013

This document provides step-by step instructions and tips for using Adobe Reader to search PDF files. It focuses on searching multiple PDF files simultaneously with Advanced Search, and using an Adobe Acrobat catalog index. It has the following sections:

- Setting up Advanced Search with a Catalog Index - Using Advanced Search to Find Text - Additional Types of Searches 1: Multiple Indexes - Additional Types of Searches 2: Boolean Searches - Search Preferences - A Note on Versions of Adobe Reader

The basic concepts apply to searching many different collections of PDF files. Specific examples refer to the eBSJ v2, a digital archive collection of 279 PDF files and more than 18,000 pages from The Baker Street Journal.

My website includes many other tips for using Adobe Reader in general, and for the eBSJ.

Tips for Using Adobe (Acrobat) Reader - includes links to the latest version of this document - Please link to the above URL if you like this document

Tips on Using the e-Baker Street Journal

Getting Started with Searching using Adobe Reader

Adobe Reader provides three methods for locating text: 1) "Find" function locates text sequentially in a single file 2) "Advanced Search" locates all appearances of text in one or more files 3) "Advanced Search" using an Acrobat catalog Index offers the fastest way to search many files

Key Tip #1: All the find/search methods work faster when your files on your hard disk - You can search PDF files on a CD or DVD, but it's much slower if you have a lot of files

Key Tip #2: To find more matches, keep your search term short ? even just a few letters - You don't need complete words

Key Tip #3: Advanced Search with a catalog index is the fastest and most flexible way to search - See below for how to Set Up Advanced Searching, and then how to perform a search



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Adobe Reader Tips by Randall Stock

Setting up Advanced Search with a Catalog Index

In Adobe Reader XI: 1. Choose Edit > Advanced Search. This opens the Search window.

Search Window with basic options visible

For more powerful searching, including using a Catalog index, you need to reveal the additional options for this window.

2. Click Show More Options (near the bottom of this Search window).



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Adobe Reader Tips by Randall Stock Search Window with more options visible

To choose the Catalog index(es) to search, change the Look In choice. 3. From the Look In drop-down (near top of this window), choose Select Index.



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Adobe Reader Tips by Randall Stock Choosing Select Index from the Look In drop-down menu

Choosing "Select Index" will open an Index selection dialog, where you can specify which catalog index(es) you want to search, and add more catalog indexes to your list of potential searches.



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Adobe Reader Tips by Randall Stock Index Selection Dialog, no catalogs added yet

The Index Selection Dialog allows you to create a list of catalog indexes for your searches. After adding catalog index(es) to the list, you can choose which one(s) you want to be actively selected and used.

4. Click the Add button and navigate to the folder with your catalog PDX file



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